


A chronic of cuddling

by Subaruchan192



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Boys' Love, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cuddling in Bed, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Sleepy Boys, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28387062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subaruchan192/pseuds/Subaruchan192
Summary: This is an exploration of Rafael's and Sonny's developing relationship in the way they cuddle in bed.~*~This is my entry for the "Barisi Holiday Exchange 2020". My prompt was cuddling in bed.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 25
Collections: Barisi Holiday Exchange 2020





	A chronic of cuddling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amirthfulgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amirthfulgirl/gifts).



> My dear amirthfulgirl. We only know each other for a short time, but I already hold your dear. Therefore, I was quite excited that I'm going to write your first Barisi gift fanfiction =) The "cuddling in bed prompt" resonated with me right away.  
> As you know, I'm normally quite a person for fluff and angst, so it was a challenge to write it without angst, but I truly had a lot of fun with.

“I can’t believe it happened,” Sonny mused, his fingers running through pitch black hair. “It feels like a dream.”

“And I thought it was stereotypical for something like this to happen at a Christmas party.” A warm, deep chuckle brushed over the sensitive skin of Sonny’s neck like a breeze, and a pleasant shiver ran through his naked body under the silk sheets.

“Were we drunk?” he asked and turned his head.

“Maybe a little.” Rafael laughed again, his voice still a little slurred from the alcohol, dripping like honey onto Sonny’s skin and giving him goosebumps. He rolled onto his stomach, resting half on top of Sonny, amused green eyes sparkling down to him. 

Rafael’s weight felt perfect, not too heavy and not too light and Sonny never wanted to let him go again. He tightened his arms around Rafael’s middle and stroked over his back.

“But if you want to know if that's why it happened, then no.” The smugness disappeared out of Rafael’s beautiful green eyes and he placed a kiss over Sonny’s heart. Sonny shuddered pleasantly as the soft lips lingered on his firm chest and his heart jumped. He tilted Rafael’s head up to capture him for a slow, languish kiss.

“I wanted to have you in my sheets for quite some time,” Rafael whispered with a molten voice as he pulled away, his lips swollen from heated, impatient kisses they had shared before.

“Oh?!” Sonny arched up a brow and looked down at Rafael with a smirk as he settled against the headboard. “Did you, _Counsellor_?”

“Indeed.” Rafael growled, but then laughed as still way too much endorphin and dopamine was flowing through his system. His expression softened. Warm, tender fingers reached out and combed one stray strand of silver hair off Sonny’s forehead.

Sonny took the chance to have a closer look at Rafael’s eyes now that they were so close. They were mesmerizing, as if a forest was forged into an orb, different shades of green and brown dancing around each other.

“What?” Rafael asked, a curious shimmer in his eyes and a smirk dancing on those wonderful lips.

“Nothing.”

“Sonny.”

“Fine…”, he mumbled, a slight blush on his cheeks. “I just thought how beautiful your eyes are.”

“Eh?” Irritated, Rafael blinked, but then laughed loudly. “Sonny, we just fucked once, don’t you think it’s a bit early for such a declaration?”

“But it was good fuck.” Smugly, Sonny grinned down to him, his blue eyes glistening like an ocean.

“Okay, that I have to admit.” Rafael laughed again, a deep, melodic sound, which resonated deep within Sonny’s bones. “It was a damn good one.”

A foolish, happy grin spread from one of Sonny’s ears to the other, and pleased satisfaction rushed through his veins which almost felt as good as the endorphins. They shared a sweet, soft kiss, ending up giggling again, stupidly happy like teenagers that it finally happened, that a year of pinned up emotions and sexual tension had been discharged at a giddy, cheesy Christmas party in the precinct.

~*~

“You can stay the night, if you want,” Rafael murmured in a voice thick as syrup and blinked tiredly at Sonny from the pillow, who had just sat up to get dressed.

“Really?” Sonny turned around to him and his hand stopped closing his trousers.

“Hmmhmm…” Rafael nodded and yawned, before he stretched a little and hugged his pillow tighter.

Sonny blinked several times, a little stunned by the unexpected offer. Rafael was a person who valued his privacy and they had defined this here as something casual up until now, but Sonny couldn’t deny it made him happy.

“I’d love to,” he whispered, a soft shimmer in his eyes as he slipped out of his trousers again and settled back in bed right next to Rafael. The prosecutor emitted a wonderful warmth which drew him closer and Sonny happily followed the invitation. He snuggled up against the other man’s body and wrapped his arms around Rafael’s waist.

A deep, content rumble escaped Rafael as soon he felt Sonny’s presence and he closed his eyes. Rafael always was pleasantly exhausted after their physical activities; his mind came to rest and it usually didn’t take long for him to fall asleep. Sonny found out quickly that he enjoyed it if he ran his hands through his hair. It relaxed him and Sonny knew how much trust that little gesture carried. He barely dropped his walls, but in this quiet moment with Sonny he did and showed him a softer side that only he got to see. Therefore, Sonny carded his fingers through the lovely, black hair and immediately Rafael hummed, though it sounded rather like a purr. A blissful smile rested on the thin lips as he snuggled closer to Sonny and rested his head on his chest.

Sonny smiled and placed a tender kiss to Rafael’s temple. Night had fallen over New York, covering it in a dark, cold blanket and in this quiet moment, Sonny realized how happy he was. That he enjoyed it much more than he had thought.

When Rafael’s quiet snoring reached his ears, Sonny’s heart warmed and he looked down at the peacefully sleeping man in his arms.

Maybe, Sonny thought in the dark of the night as he kissed him, maybe he was falling in love.

~*~

Spring came to New York and just like the flowers outside in Central Park, Rafael and Sonny's relationship began to blossom.

Sonny grumbled when the first light of a fresh day poked playfully through a slit of the heavy cream curtains in Rafael’s bedroom. Today he didn’t greet it with a warm smile; instead, he scrunched his nose, grumbled and turned around, snatching a pillow from his boyfriend and pressing it over his head to cover his eyes.

Rafael muttered his own incomprehensible complaint into the fabric and Sonny couldn’t help but to smile slightly even though his exhaustion sat heavy in his bones and he snuggled deeper into the lovely pillows.

By now Sonny was staying over almost every night. Rafael’s flat was closer to the precinct, to Hogan Place, to the courthouse, closer to _everything_ and it was much nicer than the small fish tin Sonny called his own. Besides, those sheets were wonderfully soft. It felt like sleeping on a cloud.

After a few more blissful minutes, he opened his eyes, yawned, and stretched pleasantly. The sunbeams had become stronger while he snoozed and the golden light dipped through the curtains and made Rafael’s skin glow and his hair shimmered like ebony with silver veins.

He was so beautiful. Sometimes Sonny couldn’t believe how lucky he was to be in a relationship with this incredible man next to him. He felt comfortable, not in the flat, but with Rafael. With him it felt like Sonny could finally be who he was. Sure, he teased and mocked him a lot, but he respected and liked him the way he was- and it wasn’t like Sonny didn’t enjoy this bickering. It had become their way of flirting after all. Everything felt easy with Rafael as if they had a natural way of communication and Sonny enjoyed every second of it.

Slowly, he reached out, because it often still felt like a dream and he needed to be sure it was real. That it was more than just a fleeting picture that his heart longed for. His long fingers combed through Rafael’s hair and then ran along the contours of this clear-cut face.

Rafael huffed, his eyelids trembling, but a smile tucked around his lips. Sonny chuckled quietly, that described him perfectly: hard shell, soft core. He appeared rough on the edges, quickly annoyed, but in reality, he was warm and tender.

Sonny slid closer to Rafael until the tips of their noses brushed against each other and a tender smile danced around his lips.

“Rafael…,” he whispered quietly, more to himself. “I love you.”

Just when the words had left his mouth, Rafael began to stir and slowly opened his eyes.

“Morning,” he murmured, his voice thick and sluggish from sleepiness.

“Good morning,” Sonny greeted him brightly, and kissed him tenderly. Rafael hummed happily, his eyes drifting close again as he cupped Sonny’s cheek.

This here was perfect, Sonny thought. Just them being together, enjoying every moment.

“Finally, a day off,” Rafael whispered as if he had read Sonny’s mind. “That was stressful.”

“Yeah, it was.”

“Especially for you. Despite everything else, you had to study for your test,” Rafael said as he smoothed a stray, silver strand out of Sonny’s forehead and his green eyes carried a slight shimmer of concern.

“I’m fine, Rafa,” Sonny replied while he cradled Rafael’s hand in his and kissed the knuckles.

“Truly fine, or just the Sonny way of being fine?”

“Sonny way?” He laughed. “What’s that?”

“It means pretending to be fine to not worry anyone,” Rafael explained. Sonny blinked surprised, but then huffed and shook his head.

“I’m truly fine,” he assured and kissed his hand again.

Rafael hesitated, scanning his eyes, but then he let out a small, relieved breath.

“Okay.”

“Worried, _Counsellor?”_ Sonny teased with a smirk, trying to ease the sudden seriousness, but to his surprise Rafael didn’t give a witty reply. Instead, his deep, green eyes looked into his, before he nodded.

“I am. You tend to bite off more than you can chew.”

“Oh, Rafa.” Stunned and deeply touched, he looked at him, his blue eyes shivering.

Rafael smiled softly and rolled over until he laid on top of Sonny. His green eyes shimmered like the most precious emeralds in the golden light of the day as he looked down to him. He traced his jaw line, then leaned down and kissed him, soft and comforting like a blanket.

“So, what are we going to do, today, on our first free day in a long time?”

“Hmmm…” Sonny hummed and absently stroked over Rafael’s back. “I think breakfast should be first.”

“Should be?” Rafael chuckled and titled his head.

“Yes, but it has a huge disadvantage.”

“Which is?”

“That we need to get out of bed.” Sonny stretched with relish and smirked, when Rafael first rolled his eyes, but then he laughed warm and freely; the laugh that only belonged to him.

“That’s true.” A deep hum escaped him as he rolled off Sonny and rested down next to him. Naturally, their hands found their way together as they stared at the ceiling. “But we could have breakfast in bed.”

“But even for that one has to get up and make it.”

“Hmmm, so who is going to sacrifice himself?” Rafael looked at him out of the corners of his eyes and a devious smirk danced around his lips. “I vote for you.”

“What?” Sonny gasped. “I don’t want to. My bones feel like they’re filled with plump.”

“Well, first you’re the one of us who can cook.”

“Lame excuse. You’re able to slice rolls, too.”

“I know and that is why I have an unbeatable, second argument.” Rafael patted his stomach with a smirk and sat up. The white blanket slid down his upper body, revealing more of the lovely caramel-coloured skin.

“Which is?” Sonny asked curiously.

With a smirk, Rafael turned around to him, his eyes glistening full of delight as he whispered:

“That you love me.”

Sonny’s eyes widened and he blushed, paralysed for a moment too long.

“You…you heard that?”

“Yes.”

“Oh God,” he exclaimed and quickly pulled the blanket over his face to hide. His heart was beating in his throat and the blood rushed through his ears as he waited, though he wasn’t sure for what. Dear God, why did he let it slip? They weren’t together for long and now, he had ruined everything.

It wasn’t like he wasn’t feeling that way. He did; for quite a while actually, and he simply couldn’t keep it in anymore. The moment had been too tender and beautiful and he had wanted to speak it out at least for himself or otherwise he would have felt as if he was going to burst.

“Sonny…” He heard the muffled sound of Rafael chuckling.

“No, it’s fine. Just leave me here until the ground swallows me.”

“There’s no need for that,” Rafael said softly and gently tucked on the blanket to pull it down. Sonny was hesitant at first, holding onto the hem, but then he let go and allowed Rafael to pull the blanket down. The gaze that met his blew Sonny’s thoughts away. In the warm light of vernal dawn, his green eyes shone like precious jade any emperor would have been proud to call their own. “Because I love you, too.”

~*~

It was a quiet, fresh morning. Christmas was finally over and the formerly busy streets were now empty. After long, lovely holidays, New York was still asleep, sated and content.

Sonny woke up with a smile as the sunbeams began to playfully tickle his nose. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open and yawned, stretching his long limbs and relishing the ease of tension in his muscles.

A glance to the side showed Sonny that Rafael was still fast asleep. Only his forehead and hair poked out from under the blanket. Sonny smiled warmly as he settled back into the pillow. He wanted to enjoy this warm feeling of domesticity for a little while longer, now that the storm of family obligations had finally subsided.

Not so long ago, Sonny had not liked silence. He had always felt the urge to fill it out as the lack of noises had made his heart race. It still happened at times, but Rafael was the first person he felt comfortable enough with to actually enjoy it, to just feel something instead of having to express it.

He turned to his side and tenderly ran his fingers through Rafael's hair, playing with the strands of black and grey.

Rafael grumbled and shifted to find a more comfortable position. Sonny lost all meaning of time while he watched the mountain of blankets rise and fall from Rafael’s soft breathing. A moment stretched into infinity and Sonny didn’t want it any other way. Rafael looked so young and beautiful when he was asleep. His many worry lines were smoothed out; the valley between his brows had become plain.

“We truly survived, didn’t we?” Rafael suddenly murmured into the silence and Sonny had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn’t noticed how his boyfriend had begun to stir and he almost jumped in shock.

Blurred, hazed green eyes looked up at him through long lashes. Sonny blinked, but then huffed and laughed.

“Yes, we did.” He slid closer to Rafael, nudging his upper arm. Rafael complied with his silent request and slowly raised his arm as if it weighed a ton.

“Good.” Rafael yawned and hugged Sonny a little tighter as if he didn’t want him to leave. Sonny hummed happily when soft hands began to caress the back of his head, skilful fingers rubbing soothing circles.

“Was it that bad?” he asked, while he rubbed his wide spread hand over his chest.

“No…” The fabric of the pillow rustled as Rafael shook his head and green eyes starred up towards the ceiling where pink and orange light danced. “I actually enjoyed it. It was just different than what I'm used to.”

Sonny nodded and looked up from Rafael’s chest where he rested his head. His family celebrations were loud and busy, while the one of the Barba’s had been calm. It had been unusual to him, but he had come to enjoy it.

He rubbed his head on Rafael’s chest, searching for a comfortable position and gazed towards the window. Clear light of the sun entered the room and just then Sonny noticed that white crystals were sailing down to earth.

“Sonny?”

“It’s snowing,” he said in awe, his eyes blown wide and glistening happily like children’s eyes. It was a beautiful sight, as if little diamonds were glistening in the mesh of the snow.

“Really?” Rafael turned his head so that he was able to watch the outside world and his voice was a little breathless when he whispered: “Indeed. The forecast said nothing about it. What a surprise.”

“I’m not looking forward to going home later today,” Sonny noted with a grimace. Traffic during snow was even worse than the normal chaos of cars, bicycles and pedestrians. It was almost as if the driver forgot everything the moment a single snowflake landed on the street. It meant that if he was lucky the normally forty-five-minute ride to his flat could be extended into infinity, but there was no way around it as he was back on duty tomorrow.

Rafael looked at him sideways, a thoughtful expression sitting in his eyes, but then he turned his gaze back to the window.

“You know you wouldn’t have to go home, if you lived here,” he said, quietly, calmly.

“What?” Sonny widened his eyes and almost sprung up into a sitting position.

“I think you heard me,” Rafael said with a smile as he rested his head on his arm.

“You want me to move in?” Sonny asked, his heart racing inside his chest.

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Because you value your privacy,” he explained. “And I don’t want you to offer it because you feel obliged to.”

Rafael rolled his eyes and then stood up.

“Rafa?” Sonny asked confused as he looked after him, but Rafael didn’t respond and walked out of the room instead. Sonny frowned as he waited, staring at the open door. According to the direction the sound of his bare feet took, Rafael apparently walked into the living room.

Sonny didn’t have to wonder for long what Rafael had in mind as he quickly returned with a little green box with a red ribbon in his hands.

“What is that?” The frown on Sonny’s face deepened.

“My gift to you,” Rafael replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

“But we said…”

“I know.” A soft smile danced around Rafael’s lips and he tilted his head. “But I planned to do this for a while and Christmas just offered the perfect opportunity.”

Sonny’s heart was beating fast as he reached for the carefully wrapped package. Something important was resting inside it. Sonny could feel it, but he was too overwhelmed to put one and one together.

Carefully, he took the package out of Rafael’s hand and opened it. Within it rested a key, bedded on dark velvet.

“So,” Rafael said. “As you can see, I’m not just offering it because I feel obliged to.”

Sonny gasped in surprise as he carefully took out the key; the metal feeling cold in his hand.

“You really want that?” Sonny still had to ask. Rafael nodded and when he looked back up, he found Rafael smiling as he enclosed his hand around Sonny’s.

“You’ve spent almost every free minute here anyway and we've been in a relationship for a year. It’s about time…”

“Rafa…,” Sonny began, but Rafael shook his head to stop him.

“Besides," he continued, as if Sonny had said nothing, "I've always been a lone wolf. I enjoyed being alone with myself; but, I realised I enjoy our life together even more. I love waking up next to you, cooking together, arguing over the styling products and falling asleep on the couch while working on a hard case. So, I'd like to make it official. I want to make this here our home. if you want to, of course.”

For a moment Sonny's mind stopped thinking, while his heart began to race. He still couldn't quite believe what Rafael was offering him. No, giving him, voluntarily. This cognition ran over him like a warm shower.

“I'd love to,” he replied, his voice still a little breathless. he enclosed his hand around the key as if it was the most precious thing in the world. With a smile so warm that only Sonny could carry it, he leaned in and kissed Rafael. “Thank you, Rafael. I love you.”

Rafael let out a breath of relief and smiled tenderly, too.

“I love you, too.”

~*~

The gentle sound of the ocean greeted Sonny as he awoke. A warm breeze danced through the open terrace door and he smiled as it caressed his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Strong arms were wrapped around him and Rafael’s even breath tickled his neck.

He inhaled and the salty sea breeze filled his lungs, while he covered Rafael’s hand and squeezed it softly. Every morning of waking up next to Rafael was a bliss, but this here under the warm sun of the Caribbean, it was perfection.

Slowly, he turned back around to Rafael, because the sight of the ocean couldn’t compete with this. A deep rumble escaped Rafael as Sonny settled down next to him. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he began to stir and his eyes blinked open.

“Good morning,” Sonny whispered before he kissed Rafael’s warm lips.

“Good morning, cariño.” A deep, happy hum escaped Rafael as he cupped Sonny’s cheeks to pull him in for another kiss. Sonny smiled and eagerly sank into the warmth of Rafael’s embrace, tenderly reciprocating the greeting.

“The first day as a married couple,” Rafael said and his green eyes shimmered as he caressed Sonny’s cheek.

“Yes. It still feels so unreal.” He took Rafael’s hand and placed a long kiss to the cool platinum ring, which glistened like moonlight was forged into metal.

“Indeed.” Rafael’s green eyes softened as he laced his fingers with his.

“Are you happy, Rafael?” he asked as he settled down next to him and they both looked up. Just above their bed a part of the roof was glassy and the leaves of the palm trees danced in the wind. It was truly a paradise.

“What kind of a question is that?” Rafael laughed amused and glanced at him with a smirk. “I said yes yesterday after all, and now I lie in bed in Cuba with my husband. The sun is shining, it is warm and the ocean is calling. How could I not be happy?”

Rafael rolled on top of Sonny and glanced softly down to him, while he stroked through his hair.

“How about you?” The long elegant fingers ran along Sonny’s jaw and stopped at the corner of his mouth, rubbing tender circles until his lips tucked up into a smile.

“I’m happier than I ever thought I could be.” Sonny’s eyes shimmered as blue as the ocean outside their honeymoon apartment as he reached out and ran tender fingers through Rafael’s hair.

When Sonny had been young, he had loved to listen to his father reading out fairy tales to him. He had loved to dive into those worlds where a happy end was guaranteed; but he grew up, and had to learn that they weren’t living in one; that a happy end happened to few people. But he hadn’t wanted to lose hope. Those stories he heard as a child had kept him dreaming. Even though they might not live in a fairy tale, they had taught him that no matter what hurdles there may be wishes could come true, and when he had met Rafael everything had felt like magic. Sonny had known immediately that he was the one and suddenly, everything that he had wished for was in his grasp, and the dream had become reality.

Warm lips pressed a tender kiss against his and tore him out of his thoughts. Sonny blinked and his surroundings sharpened again. Rafael’s head hovered just above his, the tips of their noses almost touching, and his green eyes shimmering like an emerald.

“I’d rather have you here with me, husband” he said and kissed him again. “Where were you?”

“In a dream,” Sonny whispered. He reached out to touch Rafael’s cheek to make sure that this here wasn’t going to fade as soon as he dared to touch the perfect picture. “The most beautiful dream, and it has finally come true.”

**Author's Note:**

> Dear, amirthfulfirl, I hope I was able to do your lovely prompt justice and that you enjoyed it. Merry belated Christmas <3
> 
> Subaru.


End file.
